Mark Priestley | Lightnews

Prof Mark Priestley

@markrpriestley.bsky.social

11K followers 3K following 1.6K posts

Education Professor, Stirling Centre for Research into Curriculum Making, University of Stirling. Mountain and prog rock enthusiast. European. Blog at http://mrpriestley.wordpress.com
Publications at https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/255862 .. more

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Education 61%

Political science 27%

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Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · Jul 28

Now available for preorder

www.bloomsbury.com/uk/teacher-a...

Reposted by Mark Priestley

Nuzhat Uthmani @nuthmani.bsky.social · 9h

Next @educatorsforpeace.bsky.social event. Sign up: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1884591677...

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 11h

Democracy, or at least the pale version of it that passes as the UK establishment, has been eroded for years, largely due to self-interest, greed and the contempt of the political classes for the populace

Neil Mackay @neilmackay.bsky.social · 17h

The chaos in the BBC is yet more proof that the pillars of the 20th century are collapsing in the 21st century. From the two-party system to the national broadcaster, the old certainties are falling apart. The decline has far to go. Is democracy itself next?

My column in @heraldscotland.bsky.social

Crisis-hit BBC is just another casualty of the collapse of the 20th century rulebook

Like the Tory-Labour duopoly and the NHS, the BBC is a hangover from an age that’s dying. We must find how to make the media relevant again,…

www.heraldscotland.com

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 11h

I try to avoid enriching them further by boycotting Duchy Originals in Waitrose

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 11h

More than you have 🤣

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 11h

About time. This, along with winter fuel cuts, was plain stupidity by @teamlabouruk.bsky.social - a needless own goal

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Rachel Reeves signals plan to remove two-child benefit cap in budget

Chancellor understood to be preparing to fully reverse measure, which would cost over £3bn but could lift 350,000 children out of poverty

www.theguardian.com

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 11h

A ‘coup’ - a right wing hatchet job

www.theguardian.com/media/ng-int...

‘Make no mistake – this was a coup’: the extraordinary downfall of the BBC’s top bosses

The whirlwind that started when Deborah Turness came under attack at a board meeting is part of a wider political story, some say

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Mark Priestley

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 11h

The BBC has long pursued a strategy of appeasing its enemies and alienating its friends.

The result is an endless series of capitulations to those political forces most determined to destroy it
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-bbc-su...

The BBC Surrenders to Trump

The capitulation of our national broadcaster to the political forces most determined to destroy it is a worrying sign of things to come

www.adambienkov.co.uk

Reposted by Mark Priestley

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 13h

The CURRENT sitting MP for Clacton earns £511,000 as a presenter for GB News and took £281,000 as a brand ambassador for Direct Bullion.

So maybe sit this one out, you rancid herring.

A former Plaid Cymru Chief Executive
is now being paid £190k a year as the
BBC's Nations Director.

This is living proof that the BBC is
infected with left-wing bias right to the
top-

Reposted by Peter Holmes, Mark Priestley

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 14h

If you've ever needed a reason to rally behind the BBC then this is it.

Reposted by Mark Priestley

Neil Mackay @neilmackay.bsky.social · 17h

Crisis-hit BBC is just another casualty of the collapse of the 20th century rulebook

Like the Tory-Labour duopoly and the NHS, the BBC is a hangover from an age that’s dying. We must find how to make the media relevant again,…

www.heraldscotland.com

Reposted by Steve Peers, Lesley A. Hall, Mark Priestley , and 1 more Steve Peers, Lesley A. Hall, Mark Priestley, Björn Heile

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 18h

When Boris Johnson was Prime Minister one of his senior advisers confided to me that one of the only things in politics his boss actually cared about was “killing off the BBC”.

Five years on, and it is a campaign that appears to be finally coming to fruition.

bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...

The BBC’s Attempts to Appease the 'Right-Wing Coup' Against It Are Now Seeding Its Own Destruction

By attempting to appease those forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues Adam Bienkov

bylinetimes.com

Reposted by Mark Priestley

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 18h

How by attempting to appease the forces on the right seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/10/t...

The BBC’s Attempts to Appease the 'Right-Wing Coup' Against It Are Now Seeding Its Own Destruction

By attempting to appease those forces seeking to destroy them, the BBC has helped trigger a crisis that now threatens its very future, argues Adam Bienkov

bylinetimes.com

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 23h

Guardian view on Scottish land reform
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Guardian view on Scottish land reform: vast estates remain feudal in scale | Editorial

Editorial: Half of the country’s privately owned countryside is held by just 421 owners. New legislation suggests democrats still fear powerful interests

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Nandita Sharma, Ruth Mace, Elizabeth Stokoe , and 2 more Nandita Sharma, Ruth Mace, Elizabeth Stokoe, Lesley A. Hall, Mark Priestley

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 1d

Once every 20 years or so, the director-general of the BBC is forced to resign for being insufficiently rightwing. Alastair Milne in 1987. Greg Dyke in 2004. Tim Davie in 2025. The great irony is that the BBC was in all cases profoundly biased towards established power. But just not biased enough …

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 1d

Twat!

Jane @localnotail.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, Nigel Farage made an actual promo video of his poppy performance in Walton-on-the-Naze today.

Reposted by Andrew Scott, Mark Priestley

Jane @localnotail.bsky.social · 1d

Yes, Nigel Farage made an actual promo video of his poppy performance in Walton-on-the-Naze today.

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Jonathan Hopkin , and 3 more Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Jonathan Hopkin, Stephen Ryan, Mark Priestley, Gary Sheffield

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 1d

The BBC's senior leadership resigning en masse over one dodgy edit in one programme, simply because the right wing press demands it, tells you everything you need to know about where the power really lies in that relationship

Reposted by Mark Priestley

Matt Green @mattgreencomedy.com · 1d

OK no more editing of Trump. Broadcast every stumble, every nonsensical ramble and brain fart. No more tidying him up or explaining him. Instead of commentary, just replace every reporter with this GIF every time he does anything:

elmo from sesame street is making a funny face with his big eyes .

ALT: elmo from sesame street is making a funny face with his big eyes .

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Mark Priestley

Matt Green @mattgreencomedy.com · 1d

The BBC when there is a real scandal: takes years to do anything, drags its feet, is very defensive

The BBC when the right wing goes for it: has a panic attack then throws itself on its sword immediately

Prof Mark Priestley @markrpriestley.bsky.social · 1d

It’s crazy how Davie should resign over accusations of left wing bias - the right wing press has captured the agenda - and the BBC seems to bend over backwards to privilege right wing voices on so many of its shows. See open.substack.com/pub/bylinesu...

www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...

BBC bias row: how a week of hostile headlines from rightwing media led to resignations

Rightwing media have published a series of attacks on the corporation after a memo from a former BBC adviser critical of its output

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Mary Corcoran , and 6 more Steve Peers, Leigh Sparks, Mary Corcoran, John Foot, Michelle Everson, Michael Morris, Michael H. Whitworth, Mark Priestley, Stuart White

Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 1d

the right winger who was appointed to lead the BBC in the hope of appeasing right wingers has been driven out by right wingers for not appeasing right wingers enough and the BBC has the chance to do the funniest thing ever

Reposted by Mark Priestley

Anne Roberts @anneroberts54.bsky.social · 1d

Perhaps if the Guardian and other publications ceased giving him this sort of headline news, he wouldn't be such a success?? #JustSaying www.theguardian.com/politics/202...